Reports & Media Releases

MI Water Trust Fund Webinar: September 21 at 12:00pm EDT

WEBINAR REGISTRATION   TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — In spite of being located in the heart of the Great Lakes, Michigan’s water infrastructure is aging and persistently underfunded, and too many Michiganders live without clean, safe drinking water. On September 21, Flow Water Advocates will present a special live webinar on new legislation to address these… Read more »

Gov. Whitmer to Enbridge: The tunnel game is up; it’s time for a new solution

September 9, 2026 Traverse City, Mich. — Today, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her administration issued a consequential new statement on Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 pipeline tunnel through the Straits of Mackinac, telling the Canadian company that it’s time to pull back from its tunnel plan that will put the Great Lakes at risk for… Read more »

In honor and remembrance of Stanley “Skip” Pruss

By Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director, Flow Water Advocates Michigan has lost one of its most valiant defenders and stewards. Stanley “Skip” Pruss, husband, father, grandfather, friend, environmental attorney, clean energy expert and champion, and a cherished member of the team here at Flow Water Advocates since 2013 as senior advisor and former board chair, has… Read more »

Flow statement on U.S. Army Corps tunnel permit

Fast-tracked under a January 2025 presidential executive order declaring a trumped-up “energy emergency,” the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced its decision to approve the Canadian company Enbridge’s pipeline tunnel through Lake Michigan at the Straits of Mackinac. The proposed tunnel would house the Enbridge Line 5 pipelines, which terminate in Sarnia, Ontario, and… Read more »

Flow v. MPSC: MI Supreme Court issues Line 5 tunnel permit decision

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2026 Michigan Supreme Court upholds the public’s rights to the Great Lakes, orders new review of Line 5 tunnel.  Traverse City, Mich., July 31, 2026 — The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Michigan regulators failed to properly weigh the Great Lakes’ public trust protections and environmental impacts before approving Enbridge… Read more »

Water, community, and the governance we owe future generations

Water is the foundation of human health, economic vitality, and democratic society. Water is not a commodity, it is a human right. And the systems we’ve built to deliver that right are extraordinary — and under strain. Adapted from a keynote speech delivered by Flow executive director Liz Kirkwood to the 2026 Great Lakes Drinking… Read more »

Flow launches Great Lakes Passport to inspire exploration and understanding of Michigan’s public waters and shorelines.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Flow Water Advocates is proud to announce the release of the Great Lakes Passport, a free educational guide that invites Michiganders and visitors alike to explore the Great Lakes while learning about the rights, history, and legal protections that safeguard these shared waters. Designed for families, educators, outdoor enthusiasts, and all… Read more »

Michigan Water Trust Fund Act introduced in state senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2026 Lansing, Mich. — Today in the Michigan Senate, Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) introduced legislation to address Michigan’s persistent, underfunded water infrastructure needs and support safe, affordable drinking water for all Michigan residents. MWTFA Fact Sheet (PDF) Email your Senator The Michigan Water Trust Fund Act (SB 950 & 951)… Read more »